Does Your Diet Affect Your MS?

By Melinda Wenner Moyer
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Neil Lava, MD

It’s natural to want to do anything you can to help tame your multiple sclerosis symptoms. You take your medicine and keep up with your doctor visits. Would it also make a difference to change what you eat?

Although no diet is proven to give you relief, some nutrients may make a difference for better or worse.

There is no such thing as a special “MS diet” that has been proven to improve symptoms.  Most doctors recommend you eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet similar to the one recommended for the general public by major medical organizations.

Go for a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts, and legumes. Avoid items that are highly processed and high in saturated fat.

Gluten-Free May Not Help

Ditching gluten is popular, and for people who have celiac disease, it’s a must. But no research shows that it improves MS symptoms.

Several studies have found that people with MS aren’t more likely than anyone else to be sensitive to gluten. So if you decide to go gluten-free, MS probably is not the reason to do so.

Should You Go Paleo?

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